Zhao v R [2019] NSWCCA 203

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Zhao v R [2019] NSWCCA 203 Hearing dates: 22 July 2019 Date of orders: 26 August 2019 Decision date: 26 August 2019 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Johnson J [14]; Price J [29] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal granted. (2) Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – appeals – appeal against sentence – indecent assault – whether sentencing judge erred in finding the objective seriousness of the offending as in the mid-range – whether sentencing judge erred by not giving sufficient weight to the applicant's remorse – whether sentencing judge erred by failing to properly apply a sufficient discount for the guilty plea – whether sentencing judge erred by failing to consider alternatives to full time imprisonment – whether sentence manifestly excessive Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) ss 61, 61L Crimes (Sentencing Procedure Act) 1999 (NSW) ss 5, 21A, 33, 68 Cases Cited: Abbas v R [2013] NSWCCA 115; (2013) 231 A Crim R 413 Aktar v R [2015] NSWCCA 123; (2015) 251 A Crim R 376 Alvares v R [2011] NSWCCA 33; (2011) 209 A Crim R 297 Anae v R [2018] NSWCCA 73 Attorney-General's Application under s 37 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 No 1 of 2002 (2002) 56 NSWLR 146; [2002] NSWCCA 518 Barbaro v The Queen (2014) 253 CLR 58; [2014] HCA 2 Bray v R [2018] NSWCCA 301 Cummins v R [2019] NSWCCA 163 Hili v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Imbornone v R [2017] NSWCCA 144 Kearsley v R [2017] NSWCCA 28; (2017) 265 A Crim R 233 Lewin v R [2017] NSWCCA 65 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 Mun v R [2015] NSWCCA 234 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155 at 241; [2017] NSWCCA 221 Obeid v R (2017) 96 NSWLR 155; [2017] NSWCCA 221 Purdie v R [2019] NSWCCA 22 R v Borkowski [2009] NSWCCA 102; (2009) 195 A Crim R 1 R v Daley [2010] NSWCCA 223 R v Hibberd [2009] NSWCCA 20; (2009) 194 A Crim R 1 R v MJR (2002) 54 NSWLR 368; [2002] NSWCCA 129 R v Zhao [2018] NSWDC 449 RL v R [2018] NSWCCA 274 Wong v The Queen (2001) 207 CLR 584; [2001] HCA 64 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Guanjie Zhao (Applicant) Regina (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr I Lloyd QC (Applicant) Mr D Patch (Respondent)